Junkie BFFs
by SalSassy
Summary: Completely AU request. The fall of the King Freedman family and the blossoming of a new Charlotte King
1. Chapter 1

She held the phone between her ear and shoulder, "I'm visiting my mom…hell I might even move back there." "Okay, open your door because you're telling me this story face to face." The petit woman hung up the phone and slowly walked to the front door. When she opened it, the tears appeared suddenly as did the loud sobs. Before she knew it, the normally emotionless Charlotte King was being comforted in the arms of her Junkie BFF Amelia Shepard. Amelia shut the door and ushered them into the kitchen, knowing that the both of them often binge ate their emotions. She cut Charlotte a large piece of fudge cheesecake, making her laugh, "What are we the Golden Girls?" Amelia chuckled, "We'd have to actually like 2 other people and I don't see that happening."

Amelia let the both of them eat in silence until she spotted the Southern Comfort in the glass cabinet. She quietly poured the two of them a generous amount in low-ball glasses. Charlotte down it all in one big gulp; Amelia tried to do the same and almost choked, "Damn, that's spicy. Is this how you drink in Alabama?" Charlotte gave her a tiny smile, "It's how you drink in the South." Amelia sipped on the rest of her drink before nudging Charlotte. "What happened?" Charlotte tried to look unfazed when she said, "I told myself a long time ago that I didn't have to worry about Violet when it came to Cooper. I was wrong. I was so fucking wrong. I'm out here dealing with a miscarriage and blaming myself…and he decides to screw Violet. And now…she's pregnant. I lost a baby that I never wanted until it was gone—that didn't stop him from making another baby. You know I thought that once we got settled with Mason, that we'd be okay. I was so wrong and blinded by stupid fucking love! I just couldn't get out of the cycle of Cooper Freedman. I loved that man and somewhere along the way, he fell out of love with me." Amelia knew something drastic happened when Charlotte started coming to work without her wedding ring, but she didn't know that it was this bad. "You want me to kick Violet's ass? I'm not a scrapper like you but I think I can take her."

Charlotte wiped away a stray tear, "It's not worth it. I filed for divorce yesterday. All I want is joint custody of Mason, but that presents a different problem." Amelia perked up, "Like what? Erica wanted you to be Mason's mom. Is Cooper trying to stop that?" Charlotte shook her head no, "That's not it. Mason was with me when we walked in on Violet telling Cooper that she was pregnant with his child. He got her pregnant not even a month after I lost my baby. Look at me, crying over a man and getting divorced for a second time. I just need time away from the practice, the hospital, hell just California in general. My mom is back in Monroeville from her business trip, so I'm just going to visit her and hope like hell that she doesn't tell my brothers what's going on." Amelia felt really bad for Charlotte because she watched how much Cooper and Charlotte grew together, how she loved another woman's child as her own, and how devastated she was when she lost the baby. Amelia was still coping with the loss of her own child who was born without a brain. Charlotte was there for her 24/7 for a year while balancing her own life. Amelia planned to do the same for her. "You mind if I tag along?" she asked.

Charlotte laughed out loud, "The furthest south you've ever been is southern California. Alabama is a whole different ball game, but if you want to go, then sure. Mason hasn't been talking to Cooper or Violet, so he's coming too." Amelia raised her almost empty glass, "Alabama here we come!" Charlotte chuckled and was immensely happy that Amelia came to check on her.

A/N: Charlotte's past is revealed as well. Divorce proceedings, exes, new flames, and relationships are all under a microscope.


	2. Chapter 2

Amelia looked around thoroughly impressed, "I have to say that I thought Alabama would be" "a little hick town?" Charlotte finished with a chuckle. "There are parts that are, but not Monroeville. There is a lot of money in this town." Amelia whistled, "Based on this house, I'll say that your family is one of them." Charlotte used her key to open the front door. "Mama King?" Charlotte moved the both of them, while carrying a sleeping Mason, into the large mansion and made her way into the living room. They both heard a door open followed by the sound of guns cocking. Amelia froze in place as Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Mama will you please put the gun down. It's just me, Mason, and a friend." Amelia let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding as an older version of Charlotte put down a shotgun and gave a big grin. "My baby girl Char. Your flight was supposed to get here tonight." Charlotte accepted the hug offered by her mother, "We took the plane Mama King. No one was using it, so we did. Oh, Mama this is Amelia Shepard." Mama King extended her hand for Amelia to shake. "Lovely to meet you sweetheart. My apologies about the gun, but it's just a" "Southern thing?" Amelia asked with a smile. Charlotte smiled, "That and a King thing." Mama King gave a wide grin, "If Char trusts you enough to bring you here, then she has a lot to catch you up on regarding the King family." Charlotte ignored her mother for a moment, "Char get you and Amelia settled into your old room upstairs and Mason settled into his room. I have to make a few trips, including down to the market."

Amelia followed Charlotte upstairs and into her large bedroom after she had gotten Mason settled into bed. "I would've killed to have a room like this growing up. Instead, I had to beg Derek to let me share his bedroom just so that I wouldn't be crammed into a room with my three sisters." Charlotte shrugged, "Benefits of being the only girl and the baby". Amelia watched Charlotte move around the room and held her tongue as long as she could, "May I ask what it is your mom does for a living?" "My mom owns a lot of different real estate and businesses. How we got all this money to begin with? My father was an arms dealer for decades. My mom hid it from me for as long as she could. One of my brothers, Landry went into the family business. Duke helps my mother out with the legitimate business of this family. I loved my father to death, but Big Daddy lived a life that I wanted no parts of. He understood that and let me go to California. He never trusted Coop, but he pretended just so I'd be happy. Look how that turned out." Charlotte said with a mirthless chuckle.

Amelia's heart broke for Charlotte. She knew that it took a lot for Charlotte to fall in love with him, and his son, which is exactly why the heartbreak extended to Amelia as well. Her and Charlotte were a lot alike. Charlotte's phone ringing diminished the silence in the room. She looked at it and stormed off towards the bathroom "Give it a rest Montgomery". Amelia picked up the phone and slid into the hallway outside the bedroom. "Addison?" "Amelia, what are you doing with Charlotte's phone?" "I'm with her." "With her where?" "That's not important. Look Addie, Charlotte needs time right now. Her entire world has been turned upside down in the past 45 days. Truthfully, I don't think that she's coming back to the practice. Her and Cooper will have to figure something out with Mason, but I doubt that she's coming back. Can you blame her? Do you expect her to comfortably sit across from and constantly be around the two people that ruined her life? She's not a robot and that's a fucked up situation for her to be in. Just let her get her head together, without being pressured. Did you not take one hell of a reprieve from New York when your love triangle blew up?" There was a long pause before Addison spoke again, "I'm happy that she has you Amelia. Can I come out to visit her?" "Didn't really think Alabama was your thing. Sure Addie, just not now. I'll let you know when." "Take care of her Amy. Give Mason my love." "I will."

Somehow in the time that Amelia was on the phone with Addison, Mason slipped past her and went into the room with Charlotte. She put the phone on silent as she tiptoed into the room. She saw that Mason had wrapped himself around Charlotte and also that Charlotte had cried herself to step. She pulled a blanket over the two of them before leaving the room quietly. She jumped when saw a big pair of green eyes looking at her. "Didn't mean to scare you. I'm Duke, Lotty's big brother. How is she really doing? How is Mase?" Amelia suddenly found herself nervous and shy looking into those eyes, "Um, I'm Amelia. She's trying to be stronger than she is. Mason is trying to be the grown up for her and not be sad." "You're here because?" "She's going to break into pieces. I'm here to catch her and put her back together just like she did for me." He nodded his head in understanding, "Do you mind telling me more about this situation. I know how much she loves Mason and I want to help her win as decent of a custody agreement as she can." Amelia hesitated for a moment before agreeing. She murmured, "She won't survive if she loses that little boy too. Hell yeah, I'll help you."


	3. Chapter 3

Waking up in the King house after 20 years made Charlotte reminisce on bittersweet memories. 20 years ago, Big Daddy was still alive and Charlotte was trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. Now, at 35 years old…she was in the middle of a divorce, a successful doctor, and mother to an 8-year-old. Charlotte laughed at the irony of breaking her own rule by falling in love—only to have it blow up in her face. She decided to stop mentally torturing herself and got out of bed. When she stepped out of her room, she could hear Mason downstairs laughing while Trace Adkins was playing through the sound system. The house was warm, so she walked downstairs in a pair of joggers and a tank top. When she reached the kitchen, she just stood in the doorway admiring the sight in front of her. Mama King was teaching Mason how to make her famous drop biscuits while Duke was attempting to teach Amelia how to line dance. Her mom looked over at her and motioned for her to step into the kitchen.

She walked up behind Mason and wrapped her arms around his body while kissing the crown of his head; Mason never faulted from his task but happily replied, "Morning mama. Did you get enough sleep?" Charlotte smiled to herself and inhaled his natural scent, "You bet I did. I had the best snuggle partner ever." Mason gave a wide smile, happy that he was able to make her feel better. She took over, helping him knead the dough after her mother took a step back. Mama King was content to watch her daughter and grandson all day long; she glanced across the kitchen and felt gratitude that her baby girl had a friend like Amelia. Earlier that morning; she awoke and overheard Amelia telling Duke everything about the fiasco with Cooper to try and help Charlotte maintain custody. A friendship like that wasn't something that anyone should let slip away. The doorbell was rung and Mama King went to answer the door. She opened it to see her other son Landry. "Baby boy, where is your key?" He lifted the key ring to show her, "Duke and I aren't really in the best place right now and he said that Lottie came home. I didn't want to upset the kid by arguing with Duke."

Mama King pursued her lips, "Good. I'd hate to have to hurt my baby boy for upsetting my grandson. Well come on in sugar, this was your house too once upon a time. Breakfast is almost ready." Landry shook his head chuckling, "Mama King, it's 11 in the morning." The older woman turned around and said, "What time do stomachs open?" He simply chuckled at his mom and followed her into the jovial kitchen. Charlotte looked up to see him walk into the room in his favorite worn-out leather jacket. She watched both of her brothers size each other up. In an attempt to diffuse an inevitable confrontation, Charlotte turned to Landry, "You mind going to the garage to look at the Camaro and tell me if it needs a new fan belt like I think it does? I'm going into town in a couple of hours." Landry was using his eyes to throw daggers at his brother; he turned to his baby sister and immediately gave in. He had never been able to tell her no. "Of course Lottie. I'll be back in a few hun." Charlotte let out a sigh of relief and walked over to Duke. She stepped on her toes and whispered in his ear, "The two of you better not go Hatfield and McCoy in front of Mason. If you do, then Annie Oakley will come out to play. Help Mason with the gravy and I'll teach Amelia some real moves."

Duke did as he was told and watched out the corner of his eye—Charlotte teaching Amelia the right way to do the two-step twist. Amelia was a lot more aware of what was happening than she let on; she grabbed Charlotte's hands and started to dance again, "Trouble with the brothers?" Charlotte looked at her in surprise.

Amelia chuckled, "Come on Char. I have 4 siblings. They do passive-aggressive better than anyone I know. You Kings, do aggressive-aggressive quite well." Charlotte smiled and said, "They have beef over God knows what. I refuse to let anyone else fight in front of Mase, especially my family." Charlotte was starting to get uncomfortable as she thought about Cooper: Amelia could sense her uneasiness and chose to change the subject, "Am I going to get a tour of Monroeville?" Charlotte smirked, "Considering that I need/want to go into town, yes you will. By the way, Mase is a far more enthusiastic tour guide than I am."

Mason jumped down from the stepstool and clapped his hands together, "Breakfast is ready." Everyone enjoyed a delicious yet somewhat awkward breakfast. Duke and Landry weren't saying a word to one another, Mason was doing the majority of the talking, Charlotte was silently daring one of her brothers to start arguing in front of Mason, Mama King was silently observing the not-so-subtle way that Duke was visually telling Landry to back off of the innuendos he was throwing at Amelia, and Amelia was ready for breakfast to be over because the tension was so thick. After breakfast, the maid Cynthia arrived at the vast home and immediately got to work cleaning up the remnants of breakfast. Charlotte and Amelia got ready while Mason stayed in the kitchen to talk to Cynthia. The older woman with the silver hair smiled warmly at Mason, "The last time I saw you, your hair was longer."

Mason rubbed his hand through his hair, "I wanted something different. Mama let me get a haircut right before we came here." Cynthia nodded and continued to work on the dishes, "Can I talk to you about something Ms. Cynthia?" She turned to him and smiled, "Of course you can."

Mason bit his bottom lip and looked over his shoulder before saying, "Is it bad that I love Mama almost as much as I loved my mom. I had a great mom, she was perfect. Then she died. Mama loved me before that and I loved her too. Now, it just seems like I love her even more." Cynthia was well-aware of Erica's death; her heart ached for the little boy, "Sweetheart, I think that you'll always love your mom more than anyone else. It's not wrong that you love your Mama. It's okay to love her, she may not be your mom but she's a great 2nd mom. I think that you're a sweet little boy that has experienced a lot of heartbreak recently."

Mason shrugged, "Not more than Mama. She loved my dad so much, but he didn't love her—just like he didn't love my mom. Mama never cries, but now she cries a lot because of him. Mama doesn't want me to hate him because he's my dad. I can't help it; I do hate him—because he hurt her. Now, I have to be the man of the house and be strong for her." Cynthia wiped her hands on a nearby towel and stooped down to Mason's level, "You are a remarkable young man and your Mama is lucky to have you. She may be sad, but I can guarantee you that she wants you to be a happy kid. That's what good parents do—they take all the bad so that their kids don't have to. She doesn't want you to be the man of the house. She just wants you to be Mason."

Charlotte heard the end of their conversation as she came back downstairs, "You ready Mase?" Mason nodded yes and looked over his shoulder to mouth _thank you _to Cynthia. Amelia was already waiting in the Porsche SUV as they both climbed in. On the short drive, they sang along to Rascal Flatts playing through the Bluetooth. When they got to town, Mason was ecstatic to show Amelia around. His excitement was infectious and pretty soon Charlotte and Amelia were bouncing around like kids. Charlotte saw the sign before Mason did and automatically knew that this was their next stop. Amelia read the sign aloud _**When the world is mini; **_she looked over to Charlotte, "What does that mean?" Charlotte entered the shop after Mason did and said to Amelia, "Cities, towns, structures—basically anything you can think of in miniature form. We've seen Chicago, Paris, and even the highway in Death Valley. Mase loves this place and it's unique, in its own way." Amelia was about to respond when a tall, stocky man caught her eye. He walked over to the two of them and extended his hand, "Hello, I'm Miles Griffin, this is my shop. I remember Mason from the last time he was here with his grandmother. You must be his mom?" Charlotte smiled shyly, something that surprised Amelia, and shook his hand. "Charlotte King. Yes, I am Mason's mother. This is my friend Amelia Shepard." He shook Amelia's hand and turned back to Charlotte, "I was just telling Mason that I wouldn't mind having a helper with my diecasts, but I'd like to check with you first." Mason appeared out of nowhere, "Mama please. It would be so cool. Please, please, please?!" Charlotte looked into Mason's eyes and sighed, "I don't know how long we'll be here buddy…but yes, you can help do diecasts." Mason hugged her as tight as he could, "You're the best Mama." Charlotte watched Miles show Mason a couple things when she felt Amelia nudge her shoulder, "Getting back on the horse already?" she asked with a smirk.

Charlotte rolled her eyes, "I don't even know the man." "He was giving you flirty eyes." "No he wasn't."

"Yes he was."

Charlotte played her trump card, "The same way that Duke has been looking at you?" Amelia froze before glaring at Charlotte, "He does not make flirty eyes with me." Charlotte scoffed, "I know my brother." Amelia bit her lip, "We were talking but not about what you think." Charlotte raised a brow, "Oh yeah? Let me give it a guess. The two of you were trying to figure out a way for me to keep custody of Mase?" Amelia's jaw dropped, "How did you know?"

"The lawyer that Duke uses happens to be one of my closest friends…and she's my lawyer. We've already been coming up with a strategy. She asked me why I didn't tell her about you and Duke's involvement."


	4. Chapter 4

"Amelia, darling I'm going to ask you a question. Now you feel free to tell me to back off if you want." Amelia looked warily at the King matriarch before nodding her head just a little. "You and my Lottie are close? You look out for each other?" Amelia shrugged, "Of course we do. She's my best friend. We're a lot alike." The older woman looked Amelia once over before leaning back in her chair slightly. "Tell me about how you and Lottie became friends."

Amelia cleared her throat, "I had connections to the people at the practice before I even knew her. My ex-sister-in-law and her merry band of best friends ran the practice. I actually got everyone's attention by going up against my mentor to perform surgery on a comatose pregnant woman. Everyone said that I was reckless and got lucky…everybody but Charlotte. She told me that I had a brass pair and that if everyone in this world did then there wouldn't be so many boho pansies." They both shared a hearty laugh as Mama King studied the way Amelia talked about her daughter. Amelia continued talking, "I learned very quickly that this tiny, blond, southern belle was a force to be reckoned with. She had a hospital full of doctors that almost pissed their pants when they saw her. I saw a woman that was on a rollercoaster with somebody that didn't deserve her. I also saw that in her own way, under all that snark, was a genuine heart. People tried to treat her like shit, but she wouldn't let them. I've learned a few things from her."

She felt Mama King's eyes on her just as the older woman said, "Speaking of rollercoasters, tell me about that rat bastard Cooper." Amelia immediately looked around to ensure that Charlotte nor Mason were nearby before speaking. "I could tolerate him because I bought into the practice too; I hated the way he treated her. It was obvious. He always put everyone else first—Violet, his patients, the practice, and everything else before her—unless it was sex. He used her like his built-in prostitute and it pissed me off so much because I could tell how much she loved him. Hell, I'm one of the most emotionally-stunted people on the planet and even I could see that she loved him more than he loved her. He was quick to crucify her for anything she said or did that he and 'Violet' didn't agree with. He forced her to let him all the way in just to break her all the way down. He never put boundaries between him and other women, yet he always expected her to do the same with other men. He never supported her sobriety one time, never even offered to take her to a meeting." Amelia didn't know that she was crying as she grabbed a nearby mug and squeezed as hard as she could.

"When I developed a drug problem, I treated her the absolute worse and she refused to give up on me. Once I got sober, I felt awful that Charlotte had to struggle being around drugs, in general, while she was trying to convince me to go to rehab. There were times when I felt like she was coddling me, but it took me a long time to realize that she was giving me the support that she never got. She helped me through my pregnancy without hesitation. She had so much going on in her life, but she never made me feel insignificant. Don't get me wrong, I know how much she loves Mason, but I was there from the beginning. Cooper basically said to hell with her feelings and that she just had to accept that he had a child. Even now, she loves Mason more than his own father does. She's the one that stays up with him during a nightmare. She's the one that moves her crazy hectic schedule—when he is far more available—to be at parent meetings, plays, extracurricular, or just when he's having a bad day. A parent does that…Cooper tries to be Mason's friend instead of a parent. Charlotte is the one who sets boundaries and shows him a love that she didn't think she was capable of giving a child. She maintains that Mason is her #1 and it shows every time she looks at him. His mother, rest her soul, begged Charlotte to be his living mom. She even had Erica's ashes put into an urn that he chose, so that she would always be close to him. Charlotte loves Mason more than anything in this world. She loved Cooper enough to have a child by him—even when she was against having her own children. He doesn't deserve Mason's love and he never EVER deserved Charlotte!"

Amelia's frustration mounted to the point of her breaking the mug she was holding. She instinctively murmured a quiet _ow_ just as Mama King reached her with a warm towel pressed to the cut on her palm. During Amelia's entire speech, Mama King picked up on her feelings for Charlotte that were far more than platonic—even if the younger woman didn't know it.

"Amelia, I'm going to give you a sage piece of advice. The best things in life come in the most unexpected packages." Amelia was confused, "I don't understand." Mama King put a gentle hand on Amelia's face, "Honey, you are in love with my daughter. I can tell that you've never been in love with a woman before and that's okay. I'm not as old-fashioned as you may think. I know that I have a special little girl, knew it from the day she was born. You need to come to terms with your feelings and tell her. She's never let anybody get this close to her besides you and him."

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Charlotte had just hung up with an old medical school classmate and was relieved to find someone completely competent to take over St. Ambrose. She'd officially sent in her letter of resignation to the practice and passed along the name of another practicing Sexologist to Addison in the letter. She contacted her lawyer to relinquish anything that she owned with Cooper and also wanted to move forward with getting her custody case on the docket. Cooper was trying to fight the divorce and even went as far as letting Violet give her attorney a letter. Charlotte told her lawyer to destroy it—she didn't want to hear from either of them.

Charlotte was starting to think that staying home for a bit was a good idea. She wondered why Amelia was still with her. Surely she had patients to see again. Charlotte didn't plan on leaving for quite some time, so Amelia needed to decide when she was leaving. She was about to leave the house when the owner of the miniature shop called her. It was a short conversation telling her that he and Mason was done for the day. In truth, she knew that the man was always flirting with her, but she didn't feel a spark. Maybe it was because of her current situation or the fact that she felt something for someone else. Although she'd be sad the day that Amelia left, she couldn't expect her to hide out in the King mansion forever. She needed to get on with his life just as she needed to get on with raising her son.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey you, can we talk for a second?" Charlotte asked quietly; Amelia turned around to give Charlotte her full attention. Charlotte closed the door behind her and sat next to Amelia on the screened-in patio. "I will probably be staying here for a while. I've already sent in my resignation and replacement to Addison, I've relinquished anything that I own with him, and my custody case is on the docket for 2 weeks from now. Mason and I will have to go back to California for that. What I'm saying is, I don't know what your plans are, so I don't want you feel like you have to stay."

Amelia reached her hand out and pushed some of Charlotte's hair behind her ear, "I want to stay." Amelia could sense Charlotte's unease and said, "You're not forcing me to do anything. I want to be here for you just like you were here for me." Charlotte could sense something changing between the two of them but chose to stay quiet about that. She went inside when she heard Mason calling her name. "For what it's worth, you might be a better match for her." The voice of Duke caused Amelia to jump out of her skin; she glared at him, "How in the hell do you move like a cat?" All she got in return was a chuckle as he walked away.

Two weeks passed far too quickly for Mason and Charlotte as their trip to California arrived. Charlotte, Amelia, Mason, Charlotte's lawyer, and Mama King all boarded the family plane and got settled in for the long flight. Mason and Amelia spent most of it playing video games. Mama King was getting in touch with various private schools for Mason. Charlotte's lawyer, Nia, was taking a nap. Charlotte was debating on which city to take a Chief of Staff position in: Prattville or Montgomery. Mama King brought her out of her trance when she asked, "What hotel do you want to stay in?" Charlotte hesitated and Amelia said, "Ryan used to rent this house right by the pier before he died. I never got rid of it. We can stay there." Charlotte gave her a comforting look and said okay. Mason shut off his game before climbing into his mother's lap, "Mama can you make chicken and dumplings for dinner?" Charlotte could never tell him no, "Only if I have a good helper."

Mason immediately bounced on her lap, "Pick me mama. Pick me." Charlotte smiled and hugged him, "I'll always pick you." Mason held out his pinky, "Forever and always?" She grabbed his face, "Until the end of time." Everyone looked at the duo with loving eyes. Amelia could watch Charlotte and Mason forever and be in total tranquility. Amelia knew that Mama King was right—she was falling in love with Charlotte…fast. Once they landed, the group made their way to Ryan's rental house and got settled in.

Amelia waited until after everyone finished dinner and got ready for bed before stepping outside and laying in the hammock on the patio. Being back in this house stirred up a lot of emotions in Amelia. She almost jumped when she opened her eyes to see Charlotte standing above her. Charlotte held out a bag of marshmallows, "You gonna scoot over?" Amelia pushed herself over too fast and almost fell out of hammock. Charlotte grabbed her before she fell, "I said scoot over…not give yourself an ER injury." They swung on the hammock slowly as marshmallows were devoured. Charlotte spoke softly, "I'm sorry if being here is triggering you in any way. We can still get a hotel suite." Amelia rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Char, I appreciate it but I'm not triggered. I'm not triggered because I'm here with you. if I was only, then I probably would be on the verge of a relapse. I've got to be honest, being with you and Mason keeps me from even remotely thinking about using drugs."

Charlotte raised her eyebrows in interest, "Are you saying that you want to stay with us after all this crap is cleared up?" Amelia bit her bottom lip, then impulsively leaned over and kissed Charlotte on the lips. Charlotte hesitated for a brief moment before surrendering to the kiss. A light bulb went off in Charlotte's head and she hastily pulled away, "I'm sorry Amelia. I can't do this. I can't drag you any further into the chaos that is my life. It's not fair to you." Before Amelia could respond, Charlotte had bolted into the house. Amelia let out a loud sigh and smacked herself on the forehead. She called the one person that she never expected to help her with a situation like this. She groaned when he answered jovially, "Well, I am surprised that the prodigal sister called me of all people. Yes, your highness?" Amelia rolled her eyes and sat up in the hammock, "Derek, I really need some advice right now."

He got serious and waited for her to continue, "So, I think I'm in love with my best friend. The problem with that is that she's in the middle of a nasty divorce and custody battle. Up until we went to her hometown, I just thought that I was overprotective because she's been such a great friend to me." She heard Derek shift and go somewhere quieter, "Amy are we talking about Charlotte?" She felt her eyes well with tears, "Yes. I can't imagine not having her in my life…ever! I don't want to have a life without her and Mason. My feelings are all jumbled up and I don't know what to do. I stupidly kissed her and she bolted. I thought that we were just friends, but I've been so jealous of her marriage to Cooper without even realizing it. I really need you to tell me what to do." Derek let out a sigh, "Follow your heart Amy. Show her that you love her and that you want to love her and her son. It may take time for her to believe it, but don't give up so easily. I didn't, thus I am now happily with Meredith. By the way, can I at least get an invite to the wedding?" Amelia laughed and started to go inside, "Goodnight Derek. And…thank you." She quietly walked through the beach house and decided to sleep on the couch instead of having a possible awkward run-in with Charlotte. She really hoped that her brother was right; she was in love with Charlotte and not ready to give up on that.


	6. Chapter 6

Once the custody hearing officially started, all hell broke loose. Cooper and Violet were teaming up against Charlotte by using everything in her past against her. The entire practice was there and had already taken sides between Charlotte and Cooper. Sam, Sheldon, Jake, and Pete were on Cooper's side; Addison, Naomi, and Amelia were on Charlotte's side. As the testimonies got uglier, everyone drifted to Charlotte's side minus Sam.

Charlotte was on the stand staring daggers at Cooper's attorney, "Mrs. Freedman." "King", she bit out. "My apologies. Ms. King, is it true that you met my client on a bondage website?" "Yes." "Is it true that you stated on more than one occasion that you didn't want children?" "Yes." "Is it true that you gave my client an ultimatum of choosing between you and his child after he first met Mason?" "That's not how it happened" she defended. "Yes or no Ms. King." Charlotte was already losing control over her temper, "Yes."

"Is it true that you have been married once before and hid that knowledge from my client." "It was none of his damn business." "Yes or no Ms. King." "Yes." "Is it true that your father was an arms dealer for many years and wanted by the authorities in multiple countries before he died?" That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Charlotte almost lunged at the attorney but luckily her own lawyer asked fr a short recess before starting her own questioning with her client. Charlotte couldn't get out of there fast enough; she was angrily pacing the bathroom floor while Amelia and Addison stood guard at the door. "I'm this close to catching a felony."

Addison tried to lighten the mood with a joke, "I don't really think that orange is your color and I doubt they have HBO in prison." Charlotte laughed as she tried to calm down. Once the recess was over, Charlotte was called back to the stand by her lawyer. "Dr. King, may you please tell the courts what Mason's mother asked you to do before she passed." Charlotte took a deep breath, "She asked me to be his mother. She asked me to ensure that he didn't put too much pressure on himself to excel. She asked me to make sure that he had a childhood. She asked me to do something that I had already done-love him." Charlotte cleared her throat and barely managed to keep the tears at bay. "I'm a lot of things. I'm not perfect, I'm just as flawed as anyone else. The love I have for Mason is unnatural to me because no one has ever captured my heart that much. No I didn't birth him; I didn't come into his life until he was 7 years old. I know every dream he's ever had good or bad. I drop whatever I'm doing because he is my number one priority. I don't care if he keeps me up all night talking about his mom because I know how much he misses her. I know all his mannerisms and moods. Was I caught off guard when I first met him? Yes. Loving him was never the problem. The problem was knowing that no matter what, this little boy stole my heart. Mason is my life…I've never had that experience before. I never wanted this to get ugly Coop, but I will go to hell and back to protect my son. You put us in this situation not me. I'll be the bad guy in everything else, but there is no way in hell that I'm giving my child up with fighting to the death. Hate me all you want but you need to look in the mirror because you're the monster in this situation not me. There's no point in continuing to make babies if you can't take care of the ones you have. You made your bed, but MY son isn't going to be punished because of it."

Charlotte hastily got off the stand and wiped away her tears. Amelia looked at Cooper and saw him starting to crack. The hand Violet put on his shoulder made his whole demeanor change, as he became a bastard all over again. Amelia was livid but Charlotte was her main concern. She ran around the entire courthouse until she found her on a balcony. Charlotte refused to hide anymore tears and broke down; when he legs gave out, she was surprised to fall into the arms of Amelia. She allowed Amelia to hold her as she cried all her anguish out. "I can't lose him. I won't survive it." Amelia soothed her as best as she could, "You won't. If that means that we have to hid a body, so be it. I'm sure Addison will drive the getaway car for us."

The redhead took that moment to make her presence known, "I will, no questions asked. Other than idiotic ex-husband that knocked up the therapist in need of a therapist dragging you through a custody case, how are you doing?" Charlotte laughed, "Aside from that barrel of bullshit, I'm just peachy." Addison looked at her with mild confusion and Amelia said, "It's a southern thing I guess. Her metaphors confuse the hell out of me too. Just roll with it." Addison nodded in amusement. They both sat with Charlotte until her tears subsided; she looked at Addison, "What's happening in there?" "Your lawyer is skinning his ass alive. Let's go. Wait, we might need popcorn." Charlotte made a pit stop to fix her makeup and Addison turned to her, "Do you love her more than you loved Ryan?" Amelia had no time to filter before her thoughts tumbled aloud, "I love her more than I've loved anyone. What the hell do I do?"

Addison looked at her quietly for a moment, "You show her how to be loved properly. You also make sure that however this turns out, you have her back."

Addison started going through emails on her Blackberry and absently asked, "Am I replacing my neurologist too?" Amelia looked away sheepishly, "Yeah but I know a fantastic replacement." Addison smirked as Charlotte appeared again and the walked back to the courtroom.

**Part 2 of the custody hearing up next. Cooper and mason testimonies. **


	7. Chapter 7

"Dr. Freedman, can you tell the court what the nature of your relationship with Mason's biological mother was?" Cooper hesitated, giving Charlotte a pleading look that she ignored. He looked away from Charlotte and responded, "Erica and I had a one-night stand in her car at the back of a parking lot." "Is it true that you had no idea that your son ever existed until she suddenly brought him into your life?" Cooper mumbled and Charlotte's lawyer said, "Please speak up for the courts Dr. Freedman." Cooper let out a sigh, "Yes, it's true." "Dr. Freedman, you were quick to acknowledge that you met your soon-to-be ex wife in a chatroom. Is it possible to the best of your knowledge, that you may have had numerous unprotected sexual encounters that could have produced more children?" Cooper's lawyer jumped up, "Objection! She's putting the witness on trial."

Charlotte's lawyer swiftly said, "That's the purpose of a custody case. Both sides putting witnesses on trial." Once the objection was sustained, she continued her question of Cooper. "Dr. Freedman, can you answer the question please?" Cooper glared at the woman, "It may be possible." Charlotte refused to make eye contact with Cooper or Violet. After a 15-minute recess, the one thing that was about to happen had Charlotte on edge. She never wanted this to get to the point where Mason would be revictimized over losing his mother in open court. She'd rather be burned alive than to put him through anymore pain. She was pissed that Cooper wouldn't stop being selfish long enough to realize that Mason wasn't happy being with him. On the other side of the courtroom, Cooper and Violet smugly waited for Mason's turn to testify. They fooled themselves into thinking that Mason would choose Cooper over Charlotte because they were related by blood. Amelia and Addison didn't want Cooper to successfully break Charlotte by ripping her child away. The rest of the practice just wanted this to end as peacefully as possible.

After being brought into the courtroom, Mason immediately wanted to run to Charlotte but was rerouted to the witness stand. Cooper's lawyer went first, "Mason, do you know why you're here today?" Mason nodded, "My mom and dad both want me to live with them." "You mean your father and Ms. King?" Mason brow furrowed in confusion, "I mean my Mom and dad."

"Okay. Mason, how do you like living with your dad?" "I don't." "Don't you enjoy the bonding time and memories that you and your dad create?" "I liked it better when my mom was there too." "Do you know what happened between your mom and dad?" "My dad hurt her and she decided to leave." "Hurt her? Did he hit her? Is that what you mean?" "No. He hurt her feelings and that's worse than hitting her." "How is that worse Mason." "Bruises and scratches go away but feelings are on the inside."

Mason took a moment to look at Charlotte, who was fighting tears, "Don't cry mama." He looked at the judge and asked, "Can I give my mom a hug please?" Although the judge sympathized with the little boy, she shook her head no. He gave Charlotte a big smile when she mouthed '_I'm okay Astro'. _Mason loved the nickname she gave him after their first baseball game together. Cooper's lawyer asked one more question, "I understand that your mom lost a baby. Does it make you happy that your father's girlfriend will be giving you a sibling soon?" Mason started to get angry, "It doesn't matter if she has a million babies. I don't want to be with my dad. Because—" "That was all Mason."

Charlotte's lawyer walked over to Mason, using her body to block his view of Cooper and Violet. "What were you going to say Mason?" Mason took a deep breath, "I don't want to be with my dad because he's okay with making my mom sad. My mama is the best. Even when I'm being a pain, she's patient. She's really busy at work; she runs a hospital and has so many people to keep up with, but she ALWAYS has time for me. When I'm really missing my mom, she holds me in the shower, because I love the sound of rain, even though our pjs get soaked. Even though she has long days, she always checks my homework and lets me tell her about my entire day. Before her, all I had was my mom. I have a grandma now, uncles, cousins, and my mama." Charlotte no longer fought her tears and completely broke down when Mason started crying. "I already lost a mom. I don't want to lose another one. I choose my mama over my dad. Don't make me stay with him please." Mason didn't wait to be excused and ran right into Charlotte's arms. It took her almost 5 minutes to calm him down.

Less than 30 minutes later, the bailiff informed everyone that the judge's verdict was in. Charlotte's mother had arrived by now, choosing to wait outside the courtroom with Mason. The judge looked at both defendants and spoke. "I have seen my fair share of custody battles. On paper, the both of you are fantastic. You're both successful doctors with the finances to properly care for a child. Ms. King, you are leaving a private practice and a Chief-of-Staff position to do what exactly?" Charlotte cleared her throat, "I am taking a position in a hospital near my hometown, but I won't be joining another practice. I want to have more available time for Mason. With the help of my mother, Mason's application had been submitted and accepted to a private-charter school. He also enjoys learning how to make miniature replicas at a shop in town."

The judge asked, "Mason has friends in Monroeville?" "Yes ma'am. He wants to play soccer next year and is friends with a few of the players already." "While you are working, do you have childcare options?" "Yes. My mother is my sitter if needed." "What are your feelings on shared custody with Dr. Freedman?" She didn't hesitate, "I won't lie, I'm completely against it. I don't feel like it's fair to Mason being shuffled back and forth on planes. It may sound selfish, but it seems fair to me. After Erica passed, Mason lost interest in everything in California. Although Cooper wanted her buried, I fought him hard until he agreed to have her cremated. Mason doesn't deserve to be tied down to a place that has so many bad memories when he can take the biggest part of his heart with him wherever he goes. Mason was Erica's world…all that matters is that he feels happy and that SHE is with him."

Cooper immediately started bitching, "Bullshit Char. This Stepford Wife shit isn't you. You the heartless wench that's trying to poison MY son against me. This is smoke and mirrors. You just cut and run when shit gets hard." Everyone, minus the judge and lawyers, knew that he said the right thing to get Charlotte to snap. "I cut and run?" Who do you think you are Coop? You're the cold miserable bastard that walks around pretending like he's all warm and cuddly. Am I a bitch? Yeah, but at least I don't try to hide it from the world. I am no where near a Stepford wife. You have been so busy being Violet's bitch that you haven't even realized that her and Mason can't stand each other. Did she tell you that she left Mason alone with Lucas while she "checked on a patient"? Who the fuck leaves a 3rd grader with a toddler for an hour and a half? Did you even know that the night she moved in, Mason ran away again? This time, he made it all the way across town to Amelia's. You were so busy satisfying your needs and putting Violet first that you have completely neglected Mason's mental and emotional health. Excuse me for being adult enough to put everything and everybody on a back burner for Mason. I will not apologize for leaving you or trying to protect him. You still don't see how forcing him between two states will affect him. Oh wait, I get it. You expect me to suddenly "come to my senses" and move back to California. Dammit Coop, let me go. You made your choice, you can't have your cake and eat it too. Go be happy with Violet and let me move on from you, our marriage, and this situation. Don't punish Mason for something you caused."

The bastard in Cooper reared its head, "You are not taking my child. You're the daughter of a fucking criminal. You are 10x worse than me just based on the kind of people you came from." Charlotte's jaw dropped just as Sam suddenly slugged Cooper. Amelia nudged him, "Thank you."

The judge raised her hand to keep everyone quiet. "Mr. Freedman, based off of what just transpired, I've made my ruling. It is obvious that you are far more immature than you appear. I am terminating your parental rights to Mason and granting sole custody to Ms. King. It is up to her if she'll allow you to visit Mason in the future. I was willing to consider joint-custody until I saw with my own eyes how much you were willing to make the child suffer just to have your way. I sincerely hope that you mature in the near future and can still have some sort of relationship with the child. Ms. King, you don't have to return to California anymore in regards to Mason. He is free to go back to Alabama with you. Court is adjourned."

The sound of the gavel seemed to echo in Charlotte and Cooper's heads. Cooper was livid until the sudden emptiness settled in. Violet tried to console him, but he just recoiled and walked away from her. Charlotte's knees buckled as happy tears streamed down her face. Amelia helped her stand; Charlotte hugged her tight, "I get my son." Amelia had happy tears as well, "Of course, you get him. Let's get out of here and feed the kid." Charlotte let everyone leave and she turned to Cooper. "I won't force him, however I will talk to him about visiting you a few times a year. Nothing it set in stone, but I'll talk to him. I don't want him to hate you. I just want him to be happy." Cooper looked up in astonishment, "Why would you do that for me?" Charlotte shrugged, "Because I'm not as heartless as you think I am."

Charlotte met a happy Mason in the hallway. She let him run into her arms, "You hungry Astro?" "Of course! Can we take grandma to our special place?" Amelia and Addison rolled their eyes knowing that it was a Creole restaurant downtown. Charlotte gave him a bright smile, "How about we treat everybody since it's our last night here?" Everyone agreed; Mason slipped something on a chain into Charlotte's palm. She opened her hand with Mason clarifying, "I asked Amy and Grandma to help me do it. It's some of mom's ashes so that you always have her with you too!" His smile was too infectious not to return, "I love you always." "I love you forever mama."


End file.
